Wilmington man gets up to 3 years for pedestrian death

LOWELL (AP) - A Wilmington man has been sentenced to up to three years in prison for striking and killing a college math professor with his car two years ago.

Charles McNeil was also sentenced Tuesday in Lowell Superior Court to five years of probation and lost his driver's license for 15 years.

The 46-year-old McNeil pleaded guilty to motor vehicle homicide and operating under the influence of drugs in connection with the February 2011 death of Middlesex Community College professor Kim Forte. Prosecutors say the 51-year-old Forte was walking home from a Wilmington gym when she was struck.

McNeil had prescription drugs and marijuana in his system, but prosecutors say not all the drugs had been prescribed by a doctor.

The Sun of Lowell (http://bit.ly/X7DVeO ) reports that McNeil tearfully apologized in court.

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